Automatic book-assembly mechanism



Dec. 2, 1930.

c. L. MOYER AUTOMATIC BOOK ASSEMBLY MECHANISM Filed May 16-, 1928 6 Sheets-Sheet l Dec. 2, 1930.

c. 1.. MOYER AUTOMATIC BOOK ASSEMBLY MECHANISM Filed May 16, 1928 e Sheets-Sheet 2 1% E Br 1' Charles Lh oyez' W- 5 Dec. 2, 1930. Y

c. L. MOYER 1,783,625

AUTOMATIC BOOK ASSEMBLY MECHANISM Filed May 16, 1928 6 Sheets-Sheet 40 3/ 59 68 A 59 an? i a 17 57 6 9 46 w/ AUTOMATIC BOOK ASSEMBLY MECHANISM Filed May 16, 1928 6 Sheets-Sheet 4 ,za h' O Umz'Zes finger Dec. 2, 1930. c. L. MOYER- 1,783,625

' \L JTOMATIC BQOK ASSEMBLY MECHANISI Filed May 16, 1928 6 Sheets-Sheet 5 Dec. 2, 1930. c. L. MOYER 1,783,625

AUTOMATIC BOOK ASSEMBLY MECHANISM Filed May 16, 1928 6 Sheets-Sheet 6 Patented Dec. 2, 1930 UNITEDASTATES. PATENT OFFICE CHARLES L. MQYER, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS ASSIGNOR, BY MESNE ASSiGNMENTS, TO QUALITY HARDVTAR-E AND" MACHINE CORPORATION, A CORPORATION OF ILLINOIS AU OMATIC BOOK-ASSEMBLY MECHANISM Application filed May 16, 1928. Serial No; 278,063.

This invention relates to book binding and has to do more particularly with automatic assembly of signatures or book parts into book form for stitching purposes.

An object of the invention is to provide an automatic assembly mechanism for books which occupies less space than the manual assembly mechanisms now in use.

Another object is to provide an assembly mechanism for book signatures in which a single pile or feed box'is used and which box is open from end to end Without any intermediate partitions.

Another object is to provide an automatic assembly mechanism for books in, which a universal feed box is employed for receiv ing signatures of different sizes and from which box tliesignatures are drawn for assembly into book form. V

A further object is to provide a mechanism for inverting and reversing the postion of a signaturewvithdrawn from the feed box and delivering the same in open position on a collecting arm or saddle.

A further object is to provide a collecting mechanism for book signatures which is readily adjustable to signatures of different sizes.

A further object is to provide an automatic assembly book mechanism for book signatures which may be used for. collecting signatures of diiferent sizes without rearrangement of the parts.

A further object is to provide an automatic assembly mechanism for book signatures made up of a plurality of. connected units ofrmaximum size, any unit being arranged to gather and collect signatures of any size smaller then maximum. 1

Another object is to provide an automatic assembly mechanism for book signatures having a universal feed or pile box which is open from end to end, and in length is as long as the total length of the several collecting units in the assembly mechanism.

A further object is-to provide a book assembly mechanism in which the signatures are withdrawn folded end first, then reversed as to position by grippers and opened, the

opened signatures being deposited in open position on a collecting arm.

A still further object of the invention is to provide an automatic assembly mechanism for collectingsignatures into book form in which a signature is withdrawn from a pile, reversed as to position, opened and deposited in open position on a collecting arm and in 'which the signature is crimped while being opened.

A still further object of the invention is to provide an automatic book assembly mechanism which is simple and positive in opera tion and readily adaptable to collect signatures of various sizes from maximum to minimum.

Other and further important objects will be apparent from the description and draW- ings and appended claims.

According to the invention, a plurality of units of collectors are arranged to withdraw any size signature from a pile box with the folded edge first, reverse the position of the signature, open a signature and deposit the opened signature on a collecting arm, and a single universal pile on a feed box for containing piles of signatures in position to be withdrawn by the collector units.

'One form of the invention is shown in the accompanying drawings and the views thereof are as follows:

Figure 1 is a side elevational View of the automatic assembly mechanism shown in connection with a stitcher.

Figure 2 is an enlarged top plan view of the assembly mechanism of Figure 1 with certain parts partially shown.

Figure 3 is an enlarged front elevational view of the assembly mechanism of Figure 1.

Figure 7 is an enlarged partially sectional view on line VIE-VII of Figure 3.

Figure 8 is an enlarged partially sectional view on line VTITVIH of Figure 3.

Figure 9 is an enlarged partially sectional view on line IX-IX of Figure 3.

Figure 10 is an end elevation of the machine looking at the left end of Figure 1, with certain parts broken.

Figure 11 is an end view of the machine as viewed from the right end of Figure 1.

Figure 12 is an enlarged section taken on line XITXII of Figure 10.

Figure 13 is a section taken on line XIHXTH of Figure 12.

Figure 1a is a view taken on line XTVXTV of Figure 12, and

Figure 15 is an enlarged vertical section taken through one of the suction nozzles.

The assembly mechanism is shown in connection with a stitching machine as the assembly mechanism is employed to assemble the various signatures into book form ready to be stitched. The stitcher forms no part of the present invention.

In the drawings, a stitcher l3 shown in diagrammatic form.

The automatic assembly mechanism is designated generally as A.

The assembly mechanism is supported from the floor by legs which may be cast with a cross brace 21. The legs 20 are secured to end frame members 22 and 23 by bolts 24.

The end frame members 22 and 23 are angular in elevation. The rear legs 20 are bolted at 25 to a longitudinal frame member 26 supporting the bottom 27 of the pile or feed box. The bolts 2 1 extend preferably from end to end of the machine, passing through the end frame members 22 and 23.

A shaft 28 is journaled at 29 in the end frame members and is driven by a sprocket wheel 30 keyed to the shaft 28 outwardly of the journal 29 in the end frame member Another shaft 31 is journaled in the end frame members 22 and 23 below and rearwardly of the shaft 28.

Another shaft 32 is journaled in the forward ends of the end frame members 22 and 23 at 33 and is driven through suitable gearing such as beveled gears 34 and 35 from any suitable source of power.

The gears and 35 are shown for illustrative purposes only as being driven from a shaft 36 journaled transversely of the frame of the stitcher which in turn is driven by any prime mover such as an electric motor (not shown).

Intermediate the end frames 22 and 23 are intervening frame members 37 arranged at intervals in the length of the assembly mechanism. These intermediate frame members 37 support the shafts 31, 32, and the tie-rods or bolts 24.

Wheels 38 are keyed at intervals to the shaft 32 and have flat peripheries. A rod 39 passes thru the wheels 38 and moves bodily about the shaft 28 as an axis when the wheels are rotated.

At the side of every wheel 38 a gripper -10 is fastened to the rod so as to be oscillated by the rod in a manner to be hereinafter described. The periphery of the wheels on the side with the gripper d0 has a lateral extension all underlying the gripper so as to serve as an abutment when the gripper l0 is moved into gripping position.

Shaft is provided with similar wheels 38 red 39 and grippers d0 as well as the lateral extensions 41 underlying the grippers.

Wheels 12, i2 are arranged on shaft 31 and tapes 43 pass over the wheels 4-2 on shaft 31 and the wheels on shaft These tapes serve as carriers for purposes to be hereinafter explained.

The end frame members 22 and as well as the intern'iediate frame members 3'? have upwardly and rearwardiy directed members at which are connected to a transverse frame member a5. The frame member 45 is arranged above and in advance of the front edge of the bottom 27 of the feed box.

The space between the undersiues of the frame members 4A and the carrier tapes i3 is open so that a signature may be with drawn from the feed box at any point in the length of the same in a manner to be more fully described.

The assembly mechanism is made preferably by arranging the parts as heretofore described in a series of units, the length of the unit being determined by the largest size signature from which a book is to be made. I have found that it is practical to maize these units in lengths of 28 inches.

The drawings, especially Figures 1 2 and 3, are broken to indicate the general appearance of a complete machine made up of several units. The mechanism at the left of the break in Figures 1, 2 and 3 represent parts of one unit and the mechanism at the right of the break represent part of another unit.

The number of units employed in making a machine depends on the number of .".gii:1 tures necessary to complete book and also on the capacity of the stitching machine with which the assembly mechanism may be associated.

The following description will be directed to a single unit, but it is to be understood that the description applies to the operation of the several units included in the machine.

The feed box extends from end to end of the machine and is open, that is, there are no partitions in this box, so that it is possible toipile signatures of various sizes in the box and withdraw the same forcollectionjinto a complete book without having to have partitions in the said box which, would have to be adjusted to the. different sizes of signatures used and without having to have special feed bOXGSfOl every difierent size of signature. Partitions may, if desired, be inserted in the feed box to act as side guides for the several piles of signatures in the same and movable to accommodate signatures of various widths.

The bottom 27 of the feed bjoX therefor extends from end to end of the machine.

Referring to Figures 4, 5 and 6 of the drawings, it will be observed that the front edge of the bottom 27 of the feed box is undercut at 46, forming a shelf 47. A pipe 48 is arranged underneath the shelf 47 in a manner to be oscillated.

An arm 49 (Figure 9) is secured to the pipe 48 and projects forwardly therefrom, carrying at its outer end a roller 50. A cam 51 is carried on the shaft 28 and is in contact with the roller at all times. The shape of the cam is such as to oscillate the pipe 48 from the upper position of the nozzle, that is, the one shown in dotted lines in Figure 9, to the lower position of the nozzle, which is the position shown in full lines in Figure 9.

At intervals in the length of the pipe 48 there are connecting extensions 52 (Figure 15) having upwardly extending connections 58 terminating in flared ends 54. The extensions 52 communicate with the interior of the pipe 48. The pipe 48 is connected to a suction pump or other source of reduced pressure for the purpose of creating suction in the nozzles 54 for purposes to be later explained. The suction may be continuous or it may be intermittent. I prefer to employ an intermittent suction, although I do not wish to limit my invention to the same.

The nozzles 54, when the pipe 48 is in normal position, that is, with the roller 50 on the surface 51a of the cam, or in the dotted line position of Figure 9, underlie the front portions of the signatures in the pile C in the pile box which extend over the front edge of the bottom 27 of the box. It will be observed that when suction is created in the pipe 48, the same will draw the bottom signature of the pile downwardly against the nozzles 54. The nozzles 54 are spaced one from another at such distances as to readily withdraw short signatures such as 7-inch signatures as well as longer ones. It is usual to limit the use intervals in its length to correspond to the spacing of "the signature piles the box. Depending arms 57 are secured to the outer ends of the levers 56 and carry spring arms 58, the'lower ends of which are inturned to form. hooks 59 for engaging underneath the next to the'bottom-most signature as the bot tom-most signature is drawn downwardly by the suction nozzle 54' as heretofore'described. The-shaft is oscillated by means hereinafter described so that the several hooks 59 will raise the signature pile to enable easy withdrawal of the bottom-most signatures in r the same.

. A stop plate or strap. 60 is supported on the end of the arm 57 and limits the outer position of the pile C in the box as the pile extends over'the front edge of the bottom 27.

The shaft 55 isoscillated by a link 61 (Figure 8) connected at its'upper end to an arm 62-which is fastened tothe shaft 55. The lower end of the link 61 is provided with spaced rollers 63 which cooperate with a cam 64 on shaft 28.

The shaft 32 carrying the forward sets of wheels 38 is, when in operation, driven continuously and at a constant speed.

The frame members 22 and 23 and intermea diate-frame members 37 support, at the forward ends, rocker shafts 65 and 66 and atie rod'67. The tierod 67 extends from end to end of a unit, 'or ifdesired, may extend from end to end of themachine, that is, may pass through several units.

The rocker shaft 65 carries a. forwardly extending arm 68 which has a transverse abutment 69 at the end thereof. The abutment 69 on the arm 68, when in lower position as shown in Figure 6, serves to check the advancing movement of a signature on the tapes 43 and holds the same in position to be grasped by the grippers on the opening gripper wheels 38.

The rocker shaft 66 is provided at inter vals with bosses 76 which bosses carr Z- shaped bars 71 arranged with the feet 72 between one of the tapes 43 and an adjacent wheel 38. This bar, termed herein the crim-per, when in full line position as shown in Figures 7 and 12, depresses the signature between the tape 43 andthe adjacent Wheel 38 for a purpose to be hereafter explained. The shafts 65 and 66 are oscillated in the following manner.

The left end of the'shaft 32, as viewed in Figures 1, 2 and 3 of the drawings, extends beyond its journal'33 in the end frame member 22 andis provided with two cams 73 and 74 (Figures 12 and 14). A link 75 having spaced rollers 76 is arranged on the end of the shaft 32 with the cam 73 between the rollers 76. An arm 77 is pivoted to the upper end of the link 75 and at the other end thereof is fixed to the shaft 66.

A link 78 having spaced rollers 79 within which is received a cam 74 is connected at its upper end to an arm 80 which in turn is fixed to shaft 65.

The grippers 40 on the gripper wheels 38 are actuated in the following manner:

Each unit includes a tumbler 81 (Figure 13) which in size and shape is similar to the wheels 38. The tumbler is keyed to the shaft 32. The rod 39, which extends through all of the wheels 38 in a unit, extends also through the tumbler 81 and is'provided with an arm 82. Outwardly of the arm and fast to the rod 39 is a slotted member 83. The slotted member 83 is keyed to the rod 39 to oscillate the same as said member 83 is alternately engaged by pins 91 and 93 to be hereinafter described, thereby actuating the grippers that are connected to said rod to alternately grasp and release signatures.

A stub shaft 84 indicated in Figure 12 is carried by the tumbler and is angularly spaced from the rod 39. A block 85 is arranged on the shaft 84 in such manner as to oscillate on the shaft or else the stub-shaft 84 is fastened to the block and it, in turn, oscillates in the tumbler. The block is arranged on the same side of the tumbler 81 as is the slotted member 83.

A rod 86 passes through the block 85 and is connected at its upper end to the arm 82 connected to the rod 39. A coil spring 87 surrounds the rod 86 between the block 85 and a stop 88 on the rod 86 near its upper end. The spring serves to maintain the rod 86 outwardly of the block 85 so as to retain the slotted member 83 in either of two angular positions to which it is turned. Figure 13 shows the slotted member 83 turned to one position, which is the position to cause the gripper 40 to grip the signature, and when the slotted member 83 is turned to the dotted line position, that is, the open or released position of the grippers, the arm 82 on the rod will lie on the opposite side of a line drawn through the centers of the rods 39 and 84. This is, in effect, a toggle to keep the slotted member 83 in proper position.

Figure 12 shows a plate 89 fastened by screws 90 to the journal 33 of the frame.

A pin 91 is attached to the plate 89 by a screw 92 and is arranged above the shaft 32. Another pin 93 is secured to the plate 89 in a similar manner and is arranged in angular position with respect to the pin 91.

Figure 13 shows the pins 91 and 93 in section.

The pin 91 is beyond a circle passing through the center of the rod 39 while the pin 93 is within such circle.

The tumbler 81 is rotated in the direction indicated by the arrow in Figure 13. The full line positions of the slotted member 83 and gripper 40 show the gripper 40 in grip position, that is, in a position to gripping a signature carried on the upper run of the tape 43 in this figure. The gripper 40 has been moved to gripping position by engagement of the slot member 83 with pin 91, it having moved from the released position which is that shown in dotted lines above the pin 93 in this figure to the gripping position shown in full lines.

The tumbler 81, rotating in the direction of the arrow, moves the slotted member 83 in the dotted line position just mentioned in clockwise direction until the upper corner of the left hand side of the slotted member strikes the pin 93 which pin is stationary, whereupon the slotted member is rocked from the dotted line position to the full line position, thereby rocking the rod 39 and its attached gripper 40 into gripping position.

The grippers having gripped a signature, remain in gripping position until the slotted member is carried into the position shown in dotted lines in Figure 13 below the pin 93. Engagement of the slotted member 83 with the pin 93 will rock the member 83 and its connected rod 39 to release the grippers, moving the gripper from the dotted line position shown below the pin 93 to the dotted line position shown above said pin. The signature carried thereby will then be released.

The description of the tumbler operation just given applies to the operations of the tumblers on the withdrawing grippers as well as the opening grippers.

As before stated, there is one tumbler per unit for operation of the withdrawing grippers and one tumbler per unit for the opening grippers. The pins for operating the tumbler for the withdrawing grippers are mounted on the bearings supporting shaft 28. The arrangement of the pins and the operation of the tumblers in the withdrawing operation is exactly the same as just described with respect to the grippers for the opening operation.

The gripper operating tumblers, the oscillating shafts, the oscillating vacuum pipe and the rocker shaft carrying the pile lifter are operated in timed relation so that the machine, once having been set in operation and there being a pile of signatures in the pile box, withdraws the signatures, reverses, opens and deposits the signature on the feeding arms 94 automatically.

Adjacent the opening gripper wheels 38 are feeding arms 94, which in section are similar to an inverted V. The arms are supported in any suitable manner on the framework of the machine and may be adjusted along the machine to receive signatures of different sizes.

Underlying the arms is a conveyor or saddle chain 95 which is driven from the shaft 3 and which passes around suitably arranged rollers in a manner well understood. I

The conveyor chain 95 carries a plurality of fingers 96 which may be adjusted along the length of the chain to signatures of different sizes. The fingers 96 engage the spread sides of an open signature straddling the-arms 94, as shown in Figure 6, thus removing the signature from the arms onto the chain so that a signature on the next arm may be deposited on top of the first one andso on, until the complete book is collected and assembled, whereupon the assembled book is delivered to a stitcher for binding.

The movement of the chain 95 is timed with the operation of the stitcher head so as to be atrest during the time the stitcher' head functions to stitch the selected signaures. The movement of the chain is such as to move the same a distance equivalent to the lengths of the signatures deposited on the chain from thesaddles.v

A signature delivered to the openinggrippers is moved open end foremost as shown in Figures 4, 5 and 6. When the signature is stopped by the stop member 69, the parts are so related thatthe rocker shafti66 isoscillated to depressthefoot 72 of the crimper and thus bend downwardly the signature intermediate its ends held by the grippers. This is shown in Figure 12. v I

The crimper acts to stiffen the signature so that as the lower half'is drawn downwardly by the opening grippers as in Figurej5, the upper half will .move substantially hori zontally outwardly or tangentially of the opening gripper wheels and over the feeding arm 94; The grippers are released when the top half of the signature'has moved far enough so that when the signature is released, it will fall astride the arm 94.

The signatures are made with the-edge of tapes 43 for delivery to the opening grippers.

Signatures of the proper size are thus collected successively from the several arms or saddles 94 by means of the chain 95 V The gripper wheels ofboth the withdrawingand opening grippers maybe arranged on the respective shafts for actual movement to accommodate thegrippers tosignatures of various sizes or else these may be fixed to the shafts insuch quantities andsospaced as to withdraw and openthe smallest sizejsignature that it is practicable to use inbook making. A r

The above descriptionof aunit applies to a machine composed of several'of these units.

Where several units are combined, the va-' rious grippers, rocker shafts and the like are operated'intimed relation so that the signatures are deposited properly on there- While I have described more or lessprecisely the details of my invention, yet I do not wish to be understoodas limiting myself thereto, as I am aware that changes maybe made in the arrangement and proportion of parts and that equivalents may lee-substituted, all without departing from the spirit and, scope of my invention;

Iclaim as my lnventionz 1 y 1. An automatic book assembly mechanism COIIIPIlSlIlg as ngle undlvlded box for containing piles of signatures arranged with the folded edges at the front of the box, grip; per means for withdrawing signatureslfrom the piles, means for reversing the position of the signatures, means for moving the signatures 1n reversed posltion, oscillating arms engaglng the upper surfaces of sa1d slgnatures for crimping the signatures to stifi'en the upper half thereof as the same are moved by themovingmeans, gripper means engaging the lower half of said signatures'for carrying the, same away from'the upper half, means for depositing the opened signature on a feeding arm, and means for gathering the opened signatures into book form. i

2. An automatic book assembly mechanism comprising a single undivided pile box for containing a pile'o'fsignatures arranged with the folded edges at the front of thebox,

means for deflecting the folded edge of a bottom signature, grippers engaging said dewithdrawing saidsignature from the box, wheels c'arryingsaid grippers andmoving: the signature engaged thereby through a circular fpatlnicarriers below said wheels moving away from sa1d wheel's, sa1d grippers arranged to release'the signature and deposit the same on sa1d carr1ersforadvance- .ment with the openend foremost, other grippers engaging the projecting edge of the sig nature,oscillating arms engaging the upper surfaces of saidlsignatures asthe same are belng movedby sa1d moving means for icrlmp ng the slgnature to stifien the top side thereof,said other-grippers moving in a circular path and carrying the lower half of the signaturesalong said path :while said stiffened top half moves tangentially of said path,.an arm disposed to underlie said stiffened top half and to receive said signature astride the same whenthe same is releasedby said grippers, and means for gathering said open signatures into book forn 3. An automatic book assemblymeclianism comprising a single" undivided pile box confol ded edges ofth'esignatures atthe front tainingpiles of signatures arranged with the of the box, means for withdrawing a signature from a pile, means for reversing the position of the signature, means for opening the signature and depositing the same on a feeding arm, means for gathering the open signatures into book form, suction means for separating a signature from a pile to permit engagement thereof by said withdrawing means, and oscillating hook means for raising the pile during the withdrawal of a sig nature.

4:. An automatic book assembly mechanism comprising a pile box unobstructed from end to end and arranged to contain a plurality of piles of signatures with the folded edges thereof at the front of the box, a plurality of wheels arranged along the front of said box and having a common axis, grippers on said wheels, means for deflecting the front edge of the bottom signature in a pile, and means for actuating the grippers for engaging said deflected edge, carriers arranged below said wheels and moving in a direction away from the same, the grippers on the wheels releasing the signatures when the wheels have turned with the grippers in proximity to said carriers, said carriers moving the signatures with the open ends fore most, other wheels provided with grippers arranged at the ends of said carriers, the lastmentioned grippers arranged to engage the projecting portions of said signatures and move said portions in a circular path, means for crimping the signatures to stiffen the top half thereof and retain the same in substantially horizontal position while the lower half is being moved in a circular path by said grippers, and an arm arranged to receive the open signatures whenreleased by said grippers, and means for actuating both sets of grippers in timed relation.

5. An automatic book assembly mechanism comprising a box open from end to end for receiving a plurality of piles of signatures, a plurality of wheels carrying grippers arranged to withdraw the bottom signature in every pile, carriers disposed to receive the signatures from said wheels in reverse position, other wheels having grippers arranged to engage the projecting edge of the lower half of every signature and carry thesame 1n a circular path, means for crimping the upper half of said signature whereby the same moves substantially horizontally, arms for receiving the open signature when released by said grippers, oscillating hook means for raising the front of the pile to permit the withdrawal of the bottom signature, said grippers, said crimping means and said pile raising means being operated in timed relation.

6. An automatic book assembly mechanism comprising a plurality of collecting units, a unit including a rotating shaft, a plurality of wheels on said shaft, a gripper on every wheel, a tumbler for actuating said grippers to grasp and later release a signature, an arm fixed to said mechanism frame about said shaft, said tumbler including two pins carried by said fixed arm, a rod passing through said wheels and spaced from the center of the same and carrying the grippers, the grippers being arranged one to a wheel, the wheels having lateral projections underlying the grippers, a slot member at the end of the rod adjacent said fixed arm, the pins on said fixed arm being at different distances from the axis of said shaft and arranged to be engaged successively by said slotted member for rocking the connected rod in difierent directions, and a toggle on a wheel co-operating with said rod to hold the same in the angular position to which it is rocked by engagement of said member with either of said pins.

7. An automatic book assembly mechanism comprising a feed box unobstructed from end to end, a plurality of piles of signatures in said box with the folded edges in the front of the box, stops for limiting the outward position of said piles in said box, a plurality of means for moving downwardly the front of the bottom signature in every pile, grippers for withdrawing the bottom signature from the piles, means for raising the piles on engagement of the grippers with the lowermost signature in the same, oscillating hooks for causing said grippers to grasp said signatures in one position and to release the same in another position, a plurality of carriers arranged to grasp the projecting portion of the bottom half of the signature, oscillating arms engaging the upper folds of said signatures as the same are being moved by said moving means for crimping the signatures to maintain the top half of the same in angular position with respect to the halves grasped by said grippers to open the same, a plurality of arms arranged to receive the thus open signatures when released by said last named grippers, means for conveying the signatures from one arm to the next to receive thereon the signatures delivered to the next arm, and means for actuating said grippers, said crimpers and said stops in timed relation.

8. A signature assembling machine including in combination a pile box unobstructed from end to end for receiving piles of signatures, suction nozzles adjacent the front edge of said box for withdrawing the bottom-most signature in a pile, a wheel carrying a gripper below and adjacent every nozzle, means for actuating said gripper to grasp the bottom-most signature and withdraw the same from a pile and later to release said signature, a carrier disposedto receive a signature so released and move it away therefrom in substantially horizontal position, an oscillating arm above said carrier, means for moving said arm in a direction to crimp a signature on said carrier, a gripper disposed to grasp the lower fold of said signature and move it away from the path of movement of said signature, a chain moving along in front of said grippers, saddles above said chain in front of said grippers, said oscillating arms engaging the upper folds of said signatures to stiffen the same to guide it over said saddles, means for actuating said grippers to release said signatures when said upper fold is directed over said saddles, and means 011 said chain for progressively removing the signatures from said saddles. j

9.- A signature assembling machine including in combination a signature supply box unobstructed from end to end for containing a plurality of pilesof signatures, means for withdrawing the bottom-most signatures from said piles, means foropening the signatures so withdrawn, a plurality of collecting saddles, means for delivering said signatures in open position onto said saddles, and

means for collecting the signatures from said I saddlesinto book form.

10. A signature box for book assembly machines, said bOX being open from end to end for receiving a plurality of piles of signatures,.}said box being capable of receiving piles of signatures of different sizes at the same time.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto subscribed my name.

CHARLES L. MO YER. 

